Epitheca bimaculata (Two-spotted Dragonfly/Eurasian Baskettail)

On our spring 2011 trip to France we stopped by Le Loir at Luché-Pringé where I spotted this then completely unrecognized character cruising about above a patch of lilly pads. Rather dull brown and unremarkable, he only striking thing about it was that I knew I’d never seen the like before. Not only was it a hard-to-spot Eurasian Baskettail but it was somewhat out of range, being near Le Mans. Exciting stuff!